A-Mazed By You
by chocolatequeen
Summary: Somehow, Rose keeps finding exactly what she needs in the Doctor's coat. Perplexed, he finally asks her about it, and the answer is far more than he expected.
**AN:** This was for a prompt with Ten x Rose and yarn. I came up with the scenario including the yarn almost right away, and then built a conversation around it. And it turned into... this. Which I'm still surprised by, but I'm happy with it.

The first time it happened, they had gotten lost in a desert, left behind by their caravan. As the searing sun beat down on them, the Doctor feared for his companion's fair skin and frail human constitution. When she tugged him to a stop, his hearts sank—they were nowhere near civilisation.

But Rose didn't ask how much longer it would be, and she didn't appear concerned. Instead, she shoved her arm down into the pocket of his coat. The Doctor watched with growing astonishment as she retrieved first a bottle of sunblock, then a hat, and finally, a canteen of water.

"There, I'm ready," she said cheerfully after slathering sunblock on her exposed skin and pulling the hat low over her eyes. The Doctor stared after her for a moment when she started walking again, then shook his head and followed her.

The second time it happened, they were in prison. (A circumstance which happened with distressing regularity.) The Doctor scanned the meal they were given and shook his head—not safe for humans. He felt around guiltily in his pockets for something for her to eat, knowing she hadn't eaten in almost twenty-four hours.

"Other pocket," Rose said.

He raised his eyebrows but dutifully shoved his left hand into his pocket up to his elbow and retrieved a protein bar, water (again), and a package of Jammie Dodgers.

"Those are for you," she told him. "I know how you get if you don't have enough sugar."

The Doctor couldn't figure out how she always knew exactly what was in his pockets, and exactly where to find what she needed. But he didn't demand answers until after it happened for a third time.

"You know," Rose muttered as the queen gave a short speech about how the off-worlders would be sacrificed to the creature of the labyrinth, "I'd be happy if future humans would choose less deadly elements of history and mythology to copy."

"I can't argue with that," the Doctor agreed. The audience cheered, and two guards prodded the Doctor and Rose forward with spears in their backs. "I guess we'd better get started. I've got to have something we can use to mark our path so we can find our way back out."

"Inside pocket," Rose said.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and reached into his inside pocket. Like the rest, it was bigger on the inside and it took him a moment to lay hands on the item she intended for him to find.

"Okay, how are you doing this?" he asked when he pulled out a ball of red yarn.

They'd reached the first fork in the path, and Rose stepped forward to inspect the carvings in the stone wall leading to each branch. "Doing what?" she asked absently.

"This is the third time in a month that you've pulled exactly what you needed out of my coat, like it was a magician's hat. I'm starting to wonder if you've got a rabbit in there somewhere."

"Oh." To his surprise, she blushed slightly. "Well… A few months ago, the TARDIS started leaving things on my dresser before we went out. I didn't understand at first and I'd just leave them there, and they'd be gone when we got home. After the third trip, I put two and two together and realised she was providing something that would be useful."

The Doctor was torn between amazement and betrayal. "In 900 years, she has never… well, hardly ever done something like that for me." He cocked his head, thinking for a moment. "Unless you count the buttons and gadgets on the console that appear exactly when I need them."

Rose winked and shot him a cheeky grin. "Admit it, Doctor. Your ship likes me better than she likes you. Me 'n her, we're like this," she said, holding up two fingers twined together.

The Doctor's hearts jumped into his throat. Rose had no way of knowing—she couldn't possibly remember—that she had once been even closer to the TARDIS than that.

"This way," Rose said, pointing to the left fork. She untwined the yarn as they walked, leaving a red trail behind them.

The TARDIS hummed in the back of the Doctor's head, the familiar sensation of his ship trying to lead him to a new understanding. "So, a few months ago," he said casually, "was that before or after I regenerated?"

"Um…" Rose tilted her head. "After, I think? Yeah, after." She looked over at him. "Why? Does it matter?"

Apparently, it did. Apparently, it mattered quite a lot. The Doctor wanted to deny what he suspected, but the TARDIS was doing everything she could to tell him that she still had a special connection to Rose. And if that was the case…

The Doctor laced his fingers through Rose's and took a deep breath. "What do you remember about the Game Station, Rose?"

 **AN:** I might continue this later and write the conversation. However, I've written this conversation and the subsequent "what did Bad Wolf do to Rose?" revelations a few times, plus that's coming in a few of my unfinished works, so I might just leave this to your imaginations.


End file.
